News

Losing the ball in historys ruck

As somebody who is deeply thrilled by rugby union at its most exciting but would never presume to venture an opinion on its intricacies, technical or political, I speak sentimentally when expressing sad dread about the proposal to revamp the Six Nations Championship. The suggestion that there should be a two-tier format, with the Celtic countries asked to compete among themselves and against Italy and perhaps Canada for the right to challenge England and France, is hurtful to a Scot but it is reflecting on the past glories of Wales that leaves me particularly depressed.

Maybe the hurtling decline of Welsh standards is irreversible. However, I find it hard to stomach the possibility that the descendants of the group of Seventies giants who were among the greatest players of any team game I have ever seen — such as Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Gerald Davies, JPR Williams and Phil Bennett — will